Lost States

June 1, 2010
Most readers might not know that there was once a plan to carve a new state called Lincoln from northern Idaho and eastern Washington, or that east Texas could have been called the state of Jacinto. Trinklein, who has written and produced PBS documentaries, has put together an entertaining book about the many failed proposals for states in American history. Listing the "lost states" alphabetically by proposed name, the book ranges from early settlements such as Charlotina in the mid-1700s (i.e., not a lost state, but a lost colony), proposed as a territory covering what became several Midwest states, to the 1974 proposal of the state of Navajo in the Southwest. There were greedy schemes like mercenary William Walker's Sonora proposal in California and urban movements to make states out of cities, e.g., New York and Washington, DC. Trinklein uses historical sources and overlays the proposed states upon reproduced period maps to show colorfully where they would have existed. He makes the more complex schemes understandable and uses humor to move the stories along. VERDICT This book is geared to the general reader and has a larger format that encourages perusal. It is recommended for history, geography, and general trivia buffs.Bryan Craig, MLS, Nellsyford, VA

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